EARTH DAY 2009: THE GREEN GENERATION
Earth Day 2009, April 22, will mark the beginning of The Green Generation CampaignTM which will also be the focus of the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day in 2010. With negotiations for a new global climate agreement coming up in December, Earth Day 2009 must be a day of action and civic participation, to defend The Green GenerationTM's core principles:
- A carbon-free future based on renewable energy that will end our common dependency on fossil fuels, including coal.
- An individual's commitment to responsible, sustainable consumption.
- Creation of a new green economy that lifts people out of poverty by creating millions of quality green jobs and transforms the global education system into a green one.
100,000 people celebrate Earth Day at the National Mall in Washington, DC
Under the umbrella of The Green GenerationTM, 100,000 people attended Earth Day on the National Mall in Washington, DC on Sunday, April 19th. Secretary of State Hilda Solis, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, Representative Edward Markey, green celebrities like Chevy Chase and Matthew Modine, and other representatives of the environmental community addressed the crowd and encouraged the world to join The Green Generation™. The Flaming Lips, moe., Los Lobos and DJ Spooky added the soundtrack. Large-scale volunteer events in New York, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle, Los Angeles, Denver, Austin, Atlanta, and DC had been going over the weekend, in partnership with Green Apple Festival, followed by thank you concerts for those who participated.
Our partners in Cleveland, Columbus, Tokyo, Buenos Aires, Beijing, and Manila, among others, also brought out hundreds of thousands of people and sent a loud and clear message to the world: The Green Generation™ is here to stay! Activities are happening all through April.
You can still plan an Earth Day event!
Do you think it's too late to have your own Earth Day action? It's not! Many people celebrate Earth Day after April 22nd, and so can you! Here's how:
- Read our new and updated Organizer's Guide: Find great ideas for events, learn fundraising and media outreach tips and much more!
- Check out Earth Day in a Boxfor additional resources, such as flyers and fact sheets that you can download for free and distribute at your event.
- Register your event in our Global Event Registry. This will allow people in your area to find your event and attend, and it's a great FREE source of publicity!
- Check out our e-store for Earth Day 2009 merchandise. For discounted bulk rates, contact garcia@earthday.net.
- Talk to us! We want to hear from you. Send us your pictures and videos! Then we'll select the best of them and post them on our site so they can be inspiration to other Earth Day organizers.
Earth Day on Campus
Where better to start the Green Generation than on campuses across the globe?
With Earth Day on Campus 2009, the most environmentally-aware generation will lead the way in introducing the Green Generation campaign to the world at thousands of schools across the US. In these truly exciting times, college campuses must honor their traditional role as a hot bed for political and social change. Now is your chance to join the Green Generation, and point your school, community, and country in the right direction for our collective future!
Earth Day Network - http://www.earthday.net/
